Sophie's Shelves

An inside look at the working of a maternity hospital, from the perspective of a midwife. Having had the privilege to work on a maternity unit briefly as part of my medical training, I recognise a lot of what Leah Hazard is saying in this. She has a humorous take on the struggles and realities of work within the NHS at present. I could tell how much she cares for her patients and understand the difficulty of being seen as too soft for the system. I hope people pick it up, read and get to see the human side of those caring for us when we need them, for whatever reason.

This book is a novelisation of the story of Daniel and Abigail from the bible. It covers the time from their removal from Jerusalem, to the return of Jews to Jerusalem 70 years later. The author takes a biblical truth view to research and deciding which information to give preference while writing this, as is explained in the notes at the end of the book. She has worked hard to show how faith in God can overcome any problem including a fire pit and a den of lions! The transformation of Nebuchadnezzar was handled well. This was the 1st biblical fiction I have read and it didn't grab my attention, in a similar way that I can have problems with historical fiction based on established characters. I find that the need to fit to established events can overpower the narrative of the story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

What happens to your mental health when you time travel? How would you manage with seeing the lifetimes of your loved ones pass non-linearly for you? These are just some of the questions that Kate Mascarenhas touches on in The Psychology of Time Travel. This has a strong predominantly female cast with LGBTQ relationships without making a big deal out of these. It has women from every walk of life who appear as well rounded characters (if not always that likeable as a result). It takes place across multiple times from 1972 -2019 and jumps between these which means that it requires concentration to follow which characters are where and when, but it all comes together to a very satisfying ending. I'd definitely pick up this author's next book when it comes.

Lie like a rug is a cozy mystery where Ginger Barnes finds out her old babysitter is on trial for faking an antique rug. While she's investigating, a couple of the key witnesses turn up dead and things look worse for him and his wife. This was a fun read, but as with all cozy mysteries, requires the suspension of disbelief at coincidences. Ginger is an interesting character as the wife of a private school headteacher and her interactions with her husband were a strong point of the book for me. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book

Joanne has just moved back to the town where she grew up with her 6ywar old son Alfie, who is struggling to fit in at school. In an effort to befriend some of the other mums, Joanne repeats a rumour she has heard, not imagining the consequences this piece of gossip will have. This was a very impressive debut looking at the impact gossip can have. It uses a very emotional charged premise (what would you do if you found out a child killer was living in your town under a new identity?) and explores the reactions to these. Lesley Kara continues to add twists and red herrings throughout the book to keep you guessing. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC

Kayla thinks of Caz as an arrogant surfing Casanova. However when she finds she's pregnant and her ex-boyfriend dies on the same day, he's the only person who seems interested in helping her. This certainly isn't your standard romance. Kayla's pregnancy and her thoughts about this add another dimension, which may make some readers uncomfortable. For me it added the necessary depth to understand the characters a bit more and to stand out from a crowded field of books. The romance itself is a slow burn as trust rebuilds between Caz and Kayla. I enjoyed this. Will keep my eye out for other books by Crista McHugh.